Code behind in ASP.NET MVC

Question

What is the purpose of the code behind view file in ASP.NET MVC besides setting of the generic parameter of ViewPage ?

Answer 1

This is a great question. Doesn't MVC exist in the ASP.NET environment, without using the specific MVC pattern.

View = aspx

Controller = aspx.cs (codebehind)

Model = POCO (Plain Old C#/VB/.NET objects)

I'm wondering why the added functionality of MVC framework is helpful. I worked significantly with Java nd MVC and Java Struts several years ago (2001), and found the concepts in MVC to be a solution for the Internet Application organization and development problems at that time, but then found that the codebehind simplified the controller concept and was quicker to develop and communicate to others. I am sure others disagree with me, and I am open to other ideas. The biggest value I see to MVC is the front controller pattern for Internet development, single entry source for Internet Application. But, on the other hand, that pattern is fairly simple to implement with current ASP.NET technologies. I have heard others say that Unit Testing is the reasoning. I can understand that also, we used JUnit with our MVC framework in 2001; but I have not been convinced that it simplifies testing to use te MVC framework.

Thanks for reading!